School Committee OKs $47.3M budget

Loss of state aid leads to increases

DUDLEY — Members of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School Committee voted to approve a preliminary draft of the fiscal 2012 budget Wednesday, March 2.

Committee members cast their unanimous vote for the $47,319,506 tentative budget during their meeting at Shepherd Regional High School.

Dudley-Charlton Regional School District Finance Director William Trifone said in a memo dated Thursday, Feb. 24, that looking at this first draft of the budget, residents can expect a $3,295,465 (or 7.5 percent) increase over last year, if approved.

"Over $1 million of this increase reflects a shift in expenses from federal grants to the general operating budget, due to the dramatic drop in federal funding," said Trifone. "During the next few weeks, large budget reductions must occur. Some relief will be available through the use of school choice funds, and approximately $800,000 in education jobs money."

For more on this story, please see tomorrow's Southbridge Evening News.